Zappa preached infiltration as the most effective method of conflict resolution: an interesting and surprisingly relevant topic to explore in the wake of the recent uprisings in the Middle East and the demonstrations that sparked other Egypt-style peaceful protests.
While giving a lecture at the London School of Economics Zappa said that “Demonstrations aren’t comfortable and they don’t prove anything.” In his opinion, the solution to social change is to infiltrate: “The best way to achieve lasting results is to infiltrate where you can… I’m afraid that everyone will have a revolution and make a mess of it. They will have their banners on the streets and brandish sticks and go home and brag about their bruises: ‘There I was – the teenage rebel.’” It’s an interesting statement because it seems that a lot of recent social change has been brought about by revolution; Egypt’s latest uprising and the resignation of their president after thirty years of power being a current example. Although, it seems that Zappa’s problem with these “demonstrations” has to do with a few main concerns. One concern being that if the protest turns violent, the whole affair can escalate into a giant boxing match, ultimately giving the military a justifiable excuse to take command of the situation and simply render the cause illegitimate. The other problem being his concern of the true motives behind some of these movements, questioning whether or not it is simply a fad or if people are truly fighting for change. Much of his doubt lies in his confidence in youth and their ability to stand for something that they are capable of effectively pursuing. He considered the flower-power movement to be a waste of time, a fad, and an excuse for people to get a doped up and wander the streets. The social demonstrations of today are certainly different from those of Zappa’s time, mainly due to the incredible media coverage and insider information, and heightened social and global conscience that can be shared at an overwhelming speed via cell phones, the internet and social networking sites. Zappa did say, “you have to use the media, the media is the key and you have to use it” and I think he makes an extremely valid point. The media is one of the most powerful ways to share information on a large scale and provides the means to raise awareness in places that would otherwise remain in ignorance. The musician also stated, “You are not going to solve all the problems in fifteen minutes or ten years. You think ‘If we win, everything will be great,’ but who tells you when you’re there? The only way to make changes that will last is to do it slowly. People are thrilled with the idea of revolution in the streets.” Yet another interesting point because really, who does decide when the appropriate actions have been taken and that there has been a satisfying amount of change? Finally, Zappa does go on to acknowledge that in certain instances there does lie potential in social demonstrations, “I’m not ruling them out completely… When you have 10,000 people of all ages – not just kids – marching on the Pentagon, then that really does something.” So I do believe that Frank Zappa does ultimately recognize a certain form of peaceful protest as a legitimate way to seek immediate social change, but whether of not he believes in their long-term effectiveness is still up for debate.
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